Page 47 of The Collector

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By morning, the air had shifted. The world was softer and brighter. Held the kind of calm that came after something real. Raven woke early, the guitar still beside him, and Mynx curled close like she'd always belonged there.

Today was different. Raven could feel it. He had to head back this afternoon, but not yet. First, they needed to eat. Sit in the daylight. Let things settle. Let the night's honesty stretch into morning and see how it holds up. After they'd both had a chance to breathe, to move around in it a little, and see how it felt not just in the dark, but in the real world.

"Butterfly," he said as he nuzzled her face, trying to wake her gently. "Time to wake up."

"Mm, I was having the most wonderful dream." Mynx rolled towards him, tucking the blanket under her chin. "It's cold."

"It's always a little cooler on the beach when the wind picks up. Let's get you inside. Was I in the dream?"

"You were, and so was my family. Even my dad. Everything was—perfect." She smiled.

"You wanna tell me about it?"

"Maybe, but first I need you to feed me. I'm starving."

Raven laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "Alright, food first. Dream later."

He stood, stretching the stiffness from his back, then reached down to help her to her feet. The blanket slipped off her shoulders as she rose, and he wrapped it around her again without thinking. The sun was climbing, casting long shadows across the sand, and the breeze carried that salty bite that made mornings on the beach feel sharper than they looked.

They walked toward the house, barefoot and quiet, the kind of silence that didn't need filling. Raven glanced at her as she tucked herself into the blanket like armor, and he felt that same pull from the night before—steady, certain.

"How do you feel about Italian food?" Raven asked as they stepped into the house.

"It's one of my favorites," Mynx said. "Second only to sushi. Why, what do you have in mind?"

"Eek, raw fish. Not me." He made a face. "Go get dressed, meet me back here when you're ready. I'd love to take you to one of my favorite spots when I'm in town—Fellini's. They've got this mushroom and sausage tortellini that's borderline life-changing."

"Okay, sounds amazing. Meet you back here in like an hour?"

"Sounds good. It's a date. Our second date, to be exact." He winked, and she smiled—soft, easy, the kind that lingered even after she turned into her room.

In his room, Raven went straight to his phone. He needed to talk to Shelby.

"Hey, how are things going?" Shelby's voice was soft, familiar.

"Really good," Raven said. "Better than I thought, actually." He paused. "I called to ask if you could do me a favor."

"Anything. What do you need?"

"Can you call James at Arka Jewelry? See if he has time to create a piece for me by tomorrow."

"Oh," she said, her tone shifting. "It went really well then. What kind of jewelry are we talking about?"

Raven hesitated, then smiled to himself. "A choker. I want to claim her. Something with a raven motif, black diamonds on the collar. Beautiful. Tasteful."

Shelby was quiet for a beat. "You're serious about her."

"I am," he said. "More than I expected to be."

"I'm happy for you, Raven. Honestly, I wasn't sure the right girl was in the cards for you. But you know your father's not going to be thrilled."

"I'm aware. I'll deal with that later. For now, I want to protect what's mine—until Hector and I come to an agreement. Will you do it?"

"Of course. I'll make it happen. When are you back?"

"This evening. We're grabbing lunch, then flying out."